


Happy Birthday, Tony

by thatfandomkid



Category: The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Feels, M/M, super family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-14
Updated: 2013-04-14
Packaged: 2017-12-08 13:01:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 948
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/761582
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatfandomkid/pseuds/thatfandomkid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony's birthday is a few weeks away.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Birthday, Tony

**Author's Note:**

> My first piece of work for AO3. Let me know what you think.

Peter finished tightening the minuscule screw on his new web launcher.  
                                •  
For the past few months, the original web shooters had been acting up. You know, shooting webs less quickly than the previous time, sometimes stalling so long Peter had the chance to work on his cardio (though, to be honest, he didn't REALLY need the workout). Peter had started the improvements, while replacing the ones on his suit to hold out until the new design was finished and the stalling problem was fixed.

After a few weeks, Peter had given up, decided that he could simply replace them as needed. But one night at dinner, Tony had convinced him to keep at it.

"If I can continuously recreate the Suit for different occasions, you can sure as hell fix those shooters."

Steve kissed Tony's cheek as he sat down, earning an exaggerated look of disgust from Peter.

"Besides," Steve started, shoulders shrugging as he placed a napkin on his lap. "Malfunctioning equipment means no Spiderman until it's fixed. And I mean permanently Peter, not one of those paper clip and rubber band fixes your dad pulls."

Looking at Peter's face of disdain for the new rule, Steve sighed.

"Your dad is an adult and knows that his equipment needs to be perfect for field use."

Tony and Peter exchanged glances. Now would not be an appropriate time to bring up how often Tony used untested projects in combat.

"Pop's right Pete. Testing your stuff is important. And in case anyone forgot, I'm known to the public as 'The Invincible Iron Man'."

The three of them laughed. They were all willing to believe it too, judging by Tony's record for near-death experiences and successful, yet improbable feats.  
                                   •  
So Peter had taken his dads advice and worked to improve the web launchers.

He looked down at the new prototype and crossed his fingers. Peter was hopeful for a success after four failed trails. He gently applied pressure to the sensors on the tiny device and almost instantaneously, a line of webbing flew out.

Peter repeated the action again and again, hoping for his break through.

An hour and many, many web lines later, Peter ran through the Tower, elated that he had finally fixed the original launchers to hold up to extended use.

"Dad!"

Peter ran through the kitchen, living room, and right to the main elevator without meeting a soul.

When the doors opened on the floor to Tony's workshop, Peter ran down the empty hallway.

A wide smile plastered to Peter's face, he pushed open the door.

"Dad, you'll never believe it, you remem-"

Peter stopped.

The lack of ACDC blasting over the speakers reached his ears.  
                                 •  
Steve was concerned.

It had been six days and there was still no reaction.

Peter went to school, did his work, carried on as normal. Though Steve was crying in every spare moment, he was incredibly concerned for his son.

Steve pressed his thumb and forefinger to the bridge of his nose, eyes closed, attempting to stave off a flood of tears. Grocery bag in hand, he quietly walked into the deafening silence that was now his home.

Replacing an old cereal box with a new one, Steve quietly worried.

He worried about their friends, he worried about his husband- now alone and out of reach, but mostly he worried for Peter.

A crash from downstairs shattered the silence.

Steve launched himself from the kitchen, disregarding the rest of the groceries in the bag, and headed to Tony's office.

Steve hoped it was him. He knew it wasn't, that it could not possibly be him, but still he hoped.

The deafening crashes were louder now. Steve burst into the workshop and froze.

"PETER!"

His son ignored him, his foot still connecting repeatedly with the metal work table. Peter's fists were clenched tightly, knuckles growing white. Each kick that connected with the table side left a dent larger than the previous one.

Steve made his way to Peter, whom he was not entirely sure had realized Steve had walked in. He gripped Peter around the middle and pulled the teen away from the table with his legs still kicking. Sliding down the nearest wall, Steve held his son until the kicking stopped.

Only then did he notice the sobbing.

"It's not fucking fair, dad was doing the right thing. He saved tons of people... No one helped him."

"I know Peter," Steve whispered back, tears from earlier now cascading down his face.

"He didn't even hit sixty, pop. You're like, a hundred and something, and he didn't even get sixty," Peter laughed bitterly.

"I know Peter."

"He shouldn't have fucking died."

"I know."

"... I miss him, pop. It's been six and a half days, and it hurts like hell."

"I know, Pete. I miss him too."  
                                 •  
Tony had wanted to be cremated, so his ashes now sat in an urn on a shelf in his workshop, beside JARVIS's  main system. Framed on the front of the mahogany chest was a picture of them. A silly picture of Tony, Steve, and Peter on the living room couch.

The city built a statue in honor of Tony Stark, genius and superhero. It was flashy, but Steve knew Tony would have found it awesome.  
                                 •  
Peter placed a small chocolate cupcake at the foot of the statue. Chocolate was Tony's favorite.  
                                 •  
Back at the Tower, Steve placed a card beside the urn. Peter joined him soon after, placing a card of his own next to Steve's. For a moment, the two sat in silence. Then Steve and Peter left the workshop.

Once they left, JARVIS began softly playing ACDCs 'Back In Black'.

"Happy birthday, Tony."

**Author's Note:**

> Just in case it seemed unclear,the last person to speak is in fact JARVIS, not Steve, or Peter, or anyone else. I just feel like it's something he would do for Tony, even though he isn't a human- because despite not being a human, JARVIS is VERY human, and he has been with Tony forever and is having as hard a time as everyone else with Tony's death. I hope you liked it... Or it made you cry. Either will do.


End file.
